Perforate bulb-grading table, gyratory movement, with lateral impact



Dec. 17, '1946.

H. NIEUWENHUIS PERFORATE BULB GRADING TABLE, GYRATORY MOVEMENT, WITH LATERAL IMPACT Filed July 20, 1945 '2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

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Dec. 17, 1946. H, NIUWENHQIS 2,412,905

PERFORATE BULB GRADING TABLE, GYRATORY MOVEMENT, WITH LATERAL IMPACT Filed July 20, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2J Patented Dec. 17, 1946 lIl.EI{.17OEA'I.`E BULB-GRADIN G TABLE,I GLYRA- TORY MOVEMENT, WITH LATERAL IM- PACT Henry Nieuwenhuis, Kalamaz'om Mich;

Application July 20, 1945, SerialNo; 606,051

I Claims. l

The main objects of this invention are;

First, to provide a grader for bulbs, which is. highly efcient in grading the bulbs according to size andwithout bruising` or abrading the same.

Second, tofprovide a grader in which t-he grader bed is: horizontally disposed or substantially horizontally disposed4 and isactuated with a quick or snap springv action during the latter portion of its cycle of movement with a result that thebulbs are advanced along the bed to the graduated openings with a jerking or bouncing movement which results in turning andnally presenting them With their smaller dimensions to openings of the size adapted` to pass the same.

Third, to provide a grader having these advantages which is oflarge capacity and at the same time quite simple and compact in structure.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and` pointed out in the claims.

A` preferred embodiment of the inventionk is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig.` 1 isa fragmentary side elevation` of a structuref embodying my invention, portions being shown in section on vertical lines.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view mainly in. transverse section on line 2--2 of Figs. 1 and 3.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view looking from the right to Fig..2.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic Viewl illustrating the.

acceleratedactionv during a portion of the cycle of movement.

Fig. 5 is an. enlarged fragmentary view illustrating details of the graduated bed.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view` illustrating the possible relationship of the bulbs to the sorting openings and the advantage of the movement of the grader bed whereby a bouncing or advancing movement is imparted to the articles to be sorted.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated. is designed for the sorting of bulbs. It comprises. a suitable supporting frame l having legs 2.` Shafts 3 and 4 are supported in bearingsi on the frame, these shafts having cranks or eccentrics 6. The sorting bed or' shaker comprises longitudinal side members 'lr of angle iron, side members 8, and bottom ilV carried thereby. The bottom` is pro-` vided with, holes lll graduated longitudinally of the bed, there being a series oi holes of each size. The bed` is provided with a. rubber facing ll having holes l2 therein registering with the holes l0.. Longitudinal aligning ribs i3 arey disposed be- 2 tween the longitudinally aligned holes. of the series.

The frame carries discharge chutes. I4. arrangedV under the series of holes, thesechutes being adapted to receive bags I5. The rear end of theL bed` isA preferably downwardly inclined at. I6.

A. feed. hopper Il is tiltingly supportedv on the upper ends` of the uprights I8` at the. forward endy of the frame. This hopper4 is supported in, an in,` clined relation. by means of the rope.. I9 which is connected at one end toA the drum 20 provided with al crank. 2| whereby the hopper may be tilted which is mounted on uprights 28 and 29 on the bed. This shaker or bed 21 has. abottom similar to that described and is in eiect an extension of the bed or shaker and is arranged in this manner for compactness. The bed or shaker 21 hasta side delivery chute 30. The bed is provided with ec- ;,centric straps or bearings 3| which engage thecranks or eccentrics 6.

The driving wheel or pulley 32 is free to rotate on the shaft` 3. and. is` provided with. ay driving lug 33 which coacts with the driven arm 34r on the shaft4 3.. A tappet or impactspring 35 is provided for the. arm 3d, this spring being carried by the forks 3.6` extending from the, arm. As the driving pulley 32 rotates, the lug 33 engages the tappet or impactr spring, rotating the shaft through a portion, ofA the cycle of movement. This rotation places the spring 3-1 which is connected to the frame at. 38 andy to` the bed or shaker at 39 under tension so that as the eccentric passes the point designated. 40 in Fig. 4, the tension of the spring drives. the. eccentric o1- shaft with anaccelerated movement or spring snap action, carrying the driven member away from the lug to the. point 4l at whichpoint itis picked upby .the driving lug for the rstportion oi` the. cycle, of movement. The spring 31 is stretched. while. the` eccentric E is movingfrom leftto right, as viewedinjFigs. 3`

largely instrumental in imparting movementtol.

the eccentric `l approximately from a top -posl\\ tion indicated by radial line 40 to a bottom position indicated by radial line 4 l, as viewed in Fig. 4. This results in a jerking and snap action during the last portion of each cycle of movement and the bulbs are bounced or advanced along on the sorter bedwith a result that theirposition on the bed is changed 'although they are in general guided or aligned by means of the ribs I3. The bulbs may be passed either end up to the grading openings as is indicated in Figs. 5 and 6 or they may be passed sidewise in which casethey will not pass through until they have been shifted by the action described to present them endwise.

In the structure illustrated, the pulley 32 is driven from a motor 42 and suitable belt 43.

In the embodiment illustrated, the bottom facing Il is clamped in place by means of the auxiliary side members 44 which rest upon the edges of the facing against the side members 8, the auxiliary side members 44 being clamped upon the facing by the clamping screws 45 carried by the brackets 46 extending upwardly'ifrom the side rails 1. Drive chain 41 is provided for the shaft 4.

My improved grader is of large cal-)acityfandI v scribe certain otherrmodications and adapta-4 tions as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired. n

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a grader for irregular objects, the combination of a pair of shafts provided with cranks,

a horizontallyl disposed grader bed mounted on said cranks and provided with series of holes graduated longitudinally of thebed, corresponding holes of the series being longitudinally aligned, said bed having a rubber facing with holes therein registering with the vholes of the bed, and rubberl aligning ribs disposed longitudnally of the bed between the longitudinally aligned holes, driving connections for said shafts, a driving pulley'rotatable on one of said shafts and provided with a driving lug, a driven arm on said shaft disposed at the side of said pulley and provided' with an impact spring coacting with said driving lug, a spring connected to said bed to be placed under bed actuating-stress during each partial rotationof said pulley and the resulting movementfof the saidbed in a forward direction, the spring then acting to impart a quick return movement to said bed whereby the objects" thereon are tumbled and advanced-on the bed with a ejerking motion, an inclined feed hopper tiltingly mounted atits lower end, and a supportinlg rope for the other Vend of said `feed hopper, saidrope being `provided with an adjqusting means atene end. the other, endyof the rope being attached to said grading bed whereby the hopper is agitatedto'feed'the articlesto be graded therefrom "tothe bed.

2. In a grader for irregular objects. the combination of a pair of shafts provided with cranks, a horizontally disposed grader bed mounted on said cranks and provided with series of holes graduated longitudinally of the bed, corresponding holes of the series being longitudinally aligned, said bed having .a rubber facing with holes therein registering with' the'y holes of the bed, and rubber aligning ribs disposed longitudinally of the bed between the longitudinally aligned holes, driving connections for said shafts, a driving pulley rotatable on one of said shafts and provided with a driving lug, a driven arm on said shaft disposed at the side of said pulley and provided with an impact spring coacting with said driving lug, and a spring connected to said bed to be placed under bed actuating stress during each .partial rotation of said pulley and the re-V sulting movement of the said bed in a forward direction, thev springthen acting to imparta quick return movement to said 'bed whereby the objects thereon are tumbled andadvancedon thev bed'with a jerking motion.

3. In al grader for irregular objects, the com-" v ing pulley rotatable onone of said shaftsand provided with a driving lug', a` driven arm on said shaft disposed at the sideof said pulley and provided with an impact spring coacting with said driving lug, a spring connected vto said bed to be placed under bed, actuating stress during each partial rotation of said pulley and the resulting movement of the said bed in a forward direction, the spring then acting to impart a quick return movement to said bed whereby the objects thereon are tumbled and advanced on the bed with a jerking motion, an inclined feed hopper tiltingly mounted at its lower end, and a supporting rope for the other end of said feed hopper, said rope being provided with an adjusting means at one end, the other end of the rope being attached to said grading bed whereby the hopper is agitated to feed the'articles to be graded 'therefrom to the bed.

4. In a grader for irregular objects, the combination of a pair of shafts provided with cranks, a horizontally disposed grader bed mounted on said cranks and provided with series of graduated holes, driving connections for said shafts, a driving pulley rotatable on one of said shafts 'and provided with a driving lug, a driven varm on' said shaft disposed at the'side of'said pulley and A provided with anv impact spring coacting with said driving lug, and a spring connected to said bed to be placed under bed actuating stress during' each partial rotation of said pulley and the resulting movement of the said bed in a forwardY direction, the spring then acting to impart a quick return movement to-said bed whereby the objects thereon are tumbled and advanced on the bed with a jerking motion. i

5. In a grading machine, lthe combination of a grader bed having a longitudinally-disposed graduated Aseries "of grading apertures in th'e bot-- ing stress by said driving member during a partial rotation thereof whereby when the cranks pass a certain point in their rotation the stored power in the spring actuates the bed with an accelerated snap action.

6. In a grading machine, the combination of a grader bed having graduated grading apertures, an eccentric supporting means for said bed, driving means for said eccentric supporting means comprising a driving member, a driven member with which said driving member coacts during a portion of its cycle of movement, and a spring for actuating said bed in one direction at a speed exceeding the speed of the driving member, said spring being placed under stress by said driving member during a partial cycle thereof whereby power is stored in the spring actuating the bed with an accelerated movement during the remainder of the cycle of movement of the bed, said eccentric supporting means while operating said grader bed making complete successive revolutions in a single direction.

7. In a grader for irregular objects, the combination of a horizontally disposed grader bed provided with series of holes graduated longitudinally of the bed, corresponding holes of the series being longitudinally aligned, and aligning ribs disposed longitudinally of the bed between the longitudinally aligned holes, eccentric supporting means for said bed, driving means for said supporting means comprising a driving member, a driven member with which said driving member coacts, and a spring for actuating said bed in one direction at a speed exceeding the speed of the driving member, said spring being placed under stress by said driving member during a partial cycle thereof whereby power is stored in the spring actuating the bed with an accelerated movement during the remainder o the cycle of movement, said eccentric supporting means while operating said grader bed making y complete successive revolutions in a single direction.

HENRY N'JEUWENHUIS- 

